Repairing a cracked radiator?

[johne]

Took the S2 for its MOT this morning and whilst getting nice & hot for the cat test a 10mm crack appeared in the plastic header on the top of the main radiator right by the inlet connection spraying a small jet of coolant out. Now cold & the crack has closed to be invisible.

Thinking about drilling a "stop hole" at each end of the crack, dremmeling out the crack and filling with araldite or similar.

Any comments? Any better suggestions? Can you plastic weld this type of plastic?

Looks like a new radiator is around £180 and secondhand one could crack just as easily.

John

[Ross]

New rad from GSF recently, was about 140 with a bit of discount... I'd say for sure try and rescue it if you can -nothing to lose but a bit of time - I did use some radweld putty stuff on mine which bought me about a week until it started leaking again...

[quattro]

I would defintly NOT try to repair such crack in the plastic top of the rad and definetly pay 140 for a new one!!!
As 2 years ago I did exactly the same as you are about to try and doo......
I ended up one day checking something at the back of the engine bay whilst the car was cooling after a run (still running) and POP! boiling hot water from my elbow all the way under my arm down my side and the front of my belly and just above my tackle!!!!! I was in such hellish pain it was so hot!!!!! I ran to the shower and stood under a cold shower undressing my self...... you want to save that 140 now?
I think the Araldite actuallu helped to weeken the plastic (3 pr 4 week old repair) as it failed along the crack and round the edge of the glued area!

[Fat Audi 80]

Save yourself possible injury and buy a new. (I know they are not cheap... )

cheers,

Steve.